Mi Amor, Aerrow
by Anaghia-san
Summary: Piper has always loved Aerrow, from the day they met to today. But what happens when Cyclonia intervines? Bad Summary, better story. Rated T for teens.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello my people, what… is… UP?! Heehee… Anyway, here's my very first Storm Hawks story, Mi Amor, Aerrow!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks or its characters… only wish I did… enjoy! =)**

Piper's POV

I sit at my desk, slouched in my seat, just gazing at my small crystal collection. I can't help but be a little moody today, thinking about things I thought I never would. When I was younger, I didn't know about love… or about how hurtful it could be.

Aerrow's been my best friend for as long as I can remember. I have pictures that my parents took of my first ever birthday party -when I turned one-, and he was there, helping me destroy the small cake. He was there with me when I first learned how to ride my bike. And I was one of the first ones to be recruited for the second generation of Storm Hawks.

But I can't help but wonder, could he ever feel the same way about me that I do about him?

Before I can ponder this further, I hear footsteps approaching my door. I quickly straighten up in my seat, place a pair of goggles on my forehead, and grab a few of the crystals that are scattered on my desk to fake an experiment.

There's a few taps on my door, and then two hard, slow ones. "Come in," I called out.

My door opened. Speak of the devil, I thought. There was Aerrow, standing in the doorway with Finn, Junko, and Radaar on his shoulder. "Hey Piper," he said, grinning that friendly, but sexy smile of his.

"C'mon!" Finn said, "We're heading to TROPICA! You've gotta come to the beach with us!"

"Yeah," Junko chimed in, "It's gonna be a lot of fun! Plenty of sun, and plenty to eat! I'm going to be grilling up some Wallop summer favorites!"

My stomach, and I'm sure those of the others, including Stork, who could probably hear him wherever he was since he was talking so loud, turned at the thought of Junko's cooking. "Um, that's ok, you guys can go ahead without me, I'm sort of… busy." I gestured toward my crystals.

"Oh, c'mon!" Finn whined, "They'll be here when you get back! Besides, you've been in here _all day,_ I'm sure you'll want to take a break sooner or later anyway! And Stork's even coming! STORK- the guy who's got every type of phobia out there and avoids these kinds of things at all costs!"

"I heard that!" Stork hissed loudly from another part of the ship.

I glared at Finn. Even if I'm not doing work, his whining always bugs me.

"Oh, c'mon Piper, it'll be fun." Aerrow said.

I looked at him, his sincere, bright green eyes pleading with my unusually orange ones. He was giving me the puppy-dog look, or, at least, that's what it was to me. I could never refuse that look.

"Well, maybe I could use a small break," I said, finally caving in. Damn those eyes of his, I thought to myself.

His smile reached his eyes. "Great." He said, "We'll be there in about a half hour." Then he turned to the guys and said, "Let's all go and get ready, we'll be there before you know it."

"I'll go and get the grill and the appetizers!" Junko said as he ran from the doorway.

"No, Junko, I'm doing the cooking this time!" Finn yelled, running after him, with Radaar following closely behind him.

That left Aerrow, still standing in my doorway. If I hadn't known him any better, I'd say he was being cautious right now, which is definitely _not_ his style.

"So," he started, walking lightly to my bed and sitting on it, being careful not to sit on any of the maps and books I had laying out across it. "What's up? You seem kind of, I don't know, quiet lately."

I should've known better. Aerrow's not like the other guys- the guys who are so oblivious to a girl's feelings. Nothing gets past him, and I only just hold back a smile at the thought. "Quiet? What do you mean?"

"Well, for starters," he propped his chin on his folded hands, elbows resting on his knees as he leaned forward, studying me as if all the answers were contained in me, "you haven't done much arguing with Finn lately."

It was true. All I've really been doing is glaring daggers at him and putting in a few words, but not much else. Nothing, and I mean _nothing_, seems to slip past Aerrow.

"Well, I've been busy lately," I said, silently chiding myself for my horrible excuse. "And one can only take so much of Finn."

"True." He smiled at me, his eyes brightened a little. "So, you're ok?" His eyes searched me again.

"Yeah, I am. Really." I knew he'd never by it. No harm in trying though, right?

He silently rose up off of my bed and made his way to the door. Before he left, he turned around, and told me "come to me if anything's wrong, alright? You're one of my best friends, so I'll always be here for you."

"Ok."

He left, the door shutting automatically as he stepped out. I sighed, got up, and plopped down on my bed. I closed my eyes and immediately saw his image behind my eyelids. Nothing _ever_ got past him, I thought for what seemed like the hundredth time today. But then again, I reasoned, it _is_ Aerrow- my best friend and love.

A/N: Awwww… kinda did this off-hand, but that's how my stories work, I think as I go. I'll put up chapter 2 as soon as I possibly can! See ya! =)


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hey guys! Here's Chapter 2 of Mi Amor, Aerrow!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Storm Hawks or its characters. Now on with the story! Enjoy! =)**

Piper's POV

"Prepare for landing!" I hear Stork call out as I feel the small jerk of the Condor landing under me.

"TROPICA!" Junko and Finn shout in unison. I can already hear them running off of the ship.

"Piper, are you ready?" Aerrow called to me from the direction of his room.

"Just about!" I call back, grabbing my sunglasses and my beach bag. Before I walk out of my room, I take one final look in the mirror. My new two-piece swimsuit seemed to fit ok- not too loose, not to tight though either. It's blue with a streak of orange and purple across the front of the top.

I'm also still wearing my crystal necklace. I never take it off, and I probably never will, but I don't want it to get wet. It was given to me on my fifth birthday by-

"Piper, c'mon already!" Ugh, Finn. Just because he's off of the ship doesn't mean that he doesn't know that I'm taking too long for him to stand.

I step out of my room, deciding to keep it on, take it off if I go for a quick swim, and then put it right back on again.

No one's in the Condor's main room, so I just veer left and head for the platform to get off of the ship.

The only person I see is- you guessed it- Aerrow. He's the one I can always count on to be patient with me, despite his jump-on-it attitude. "Hey, are you ready?" He says, his eyes bright with excitement. It's always his eyes that I notice first.

"Yep, I've got everything." I say.

"Is that a new swimsuit?" He asks as we walk down the platform ramp and onto the beach.

"Yeah, I just got this one. Didn't think I'd be wearing it this soon." I blushed, and turned away a little so he wouldn't notice. I know that he notices things, but I didn't think he'd notice my new swimsuit.

Ok, so maybe I'm lying.

As we approach the others, we see Stork spraying a can of whatever his latest phobia will be repelled by. Not even bothering to ask what he actually _is_ trying to repel, we move past him and find Finn and Junko fussing over the grill, with Radaar as their eager audience.

"What's going on?" Aerrow asked them.

"Junko's cooking something, that's what's going on!" Finn said as he tried to get the spatula away from him.

"What? It's just some grilled sky squid tentacles." Junko said plainly, holding one up with spatula for all to see.

I glanced at Aerrow, but he was keeping a straight face, as any good friend would for someone who can't cook too well (well, in our case. Junko told us his dishes are delicacies on Terra Wallop, his home). "Er, keep up the good work Junko." He said, earning him a look from Finn. I giggled quietly as Junko re-adjusted his chef hat and continued to cook.

"You do realize that since you're the leader, you're going to have to take the first bite, right?" I whisper to Aerrow.

Aerrow gazed at me in mock horror. "Oh, no. What should I do?!" He said, placing the back of his hand on his forehead, as if he was about to faint at the thought.

I laughed. He always knows just how to make me laugh.

***

Later on, after we're all thoroughly soaked- chilled by any small breezes and still trying to keep down Junko's "delicacies", I sit back in one of the six hammocks that the guys had set up earlier, lounging in what's left of the sunlight. It helps me to endure the chilling wind, but only just.

I gaze up at the multicolored sky, thinking about the day's events.

For starters, I'd found a new crystal for my collection buried in the sand. It's pink, and it may be just me, but I'm positive it changes shapes when I'm not looking. I'm not sure what kind it is yet, but I intend to find out soon enough.

As Finn and Junko continued to fight over the right to be the chef, Aerrow and I went surfing. I didn't even know he knew how to surf. If he doesn't, then he didn't show it. I fell off of my board and straight into the water before I even caught a wave.

He started giving me lessons, teaching me how to stand on it and not fall overboard.

By the end of the day though, I ended up riding on his board, holding onto him for dear life as we caught the final wave of the day.

It was nice, holding onto him like that. I focus on that comforting thought, not counting how we wiped out because he couldn't maneuver as easily with two riders on the board. I skip that part to afterwards, when we came up to the surface and started splashing each other despite how soaked we already were.

After we dried off, Junko served us his main dish for dinner, since everyone had refused the appetizers he had offered us earlier (it was something green and slimy on toothpicks. Somehow, I figured it wasn't Jell-O). It turns out I was right, Aerrow was offered the first taste.

He took it and, without cringing like the rest of us, and politely took the first bite. He chewed it slowly, and then swallowed it. The rest of us froze, waiting for a reaction- any reaction, but particularly a reaction that would have made one of us have to get the first aid kit.

"It's… pretty good, Junko," Aerrow said as the rest of us continued to gawk at him, all except for Junko of course, who was smiling a proud smile.

Slowly and cautiously, everyone else started to accept the food, not wanting to hurt his feelings. And actually, I think to myself now that my stomach's settled, it wasn't so bad.

Coming back to the present, I take the crystal I found out of my bag and inspect it again, wondering if Aerrow might like it since his birthday's coming up soon. I haven't found anything that I think he'd like, but maybe this could be it. It's got a healthy-looking glow to it, even in the sunlight. But that's not what makes me do a double-take and almost shriek.

Just as the sun sets, I swear, I _swear_ that it's in the shape of a heart now.

A/N: Ooooo, got ya hooked yet? If I haven't, there's going to be some action coming up soon, I promise you. See ya! =)


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hi guys! Here's the fabulous Chapter 3 of Mi Amor, Aerrow!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Storm Hawks or it's characters, alright? On to the story! Enjoy =)**

Piper's POV

After the sun sets, everyone except for me goes back into the ship, probably for the night. I've changed back into my squadron uniform, and now I'm just sitting out on the balcony of the ship, writing in my journal and enjoying the quiet, cloudless night, the tides on the shore and the chirping crickets being the only sounds.

_Today was awesome, _I write, _Aerrow's teaching me to surf! I didn't even know he could, and I've known him basically my entire life! He said we can continue tomorrow._

_I wonder… if he felt the same way I did when we were surfing on the same board? I felt like there were no waves, no board under us, no Finn and Junko arguing, no anything- just us, with me holding onto him as if my life depended on it. It was like I was flying with him in nothingness. _

_It's a strange feeling that I can never get used to, even though I've been feeling this for a while…_

_Well, all I know is that I love him, to no extent. But does he feel the same wa--_

"Hey, Piper."

I jump and close my journal quickly. I look up to see Aerrow standing over me. I can tell I'm blushing out of pure embarrassment, because he puts his hand to my forehead. "Did you catch a cold from being in the water all day? You're a bit warm."

"Uh, no, I'm just hot, that's all." I say, wanting to hit myself in the head with my journal.

"Oh." He says, crouching down beside my chair so we're about at the same eye level. "Well, it's not much better in there. Stork says that the air conditioning unit is busted, and it can't be fixed until we get some more light out here."

"We're gonna be in for one hot night…"

Aerrow glances down at my hands. "Whatchya writing?"

Crap. I should've known he was going to ask that. "Oh, nothing important." I tell him.

He raises his eyebrows. "Hm, must be a whole lot of nothing, because I see you writing just about everyday now." He grins.

Damn. He's so observant. Maybe _too_ observant. "Ok, maybe it _is_ something…" Why the hell did I just say that?

He looks interested now. "Go on." His eyes are prodding.

It's true, I wanna get this off my chest, but is this the right time? Does he feel the same way? My mother always used to say "take a deep breath, and then take the plunge" and "you'll never know until you try", but the "what ifs" are starting to drown out her words as fear builds inside of me.

"C'mon, like I said, you're one of my best friends, you can talk to me about _anything_." He says, giving me that so-not-like-Aerrow cautious look.

I breathe in deeply and then sigh. "Aerrow, I-"

I can't say anymore because I'm cut off by an explosion. Aerrow and I turn to look in the direction of the sound. A tree near the ship fell over. Except it wasn't by Mother Nature's will. Something hit it. Aerrow and I automatically jump to our feet.

"Cyclonians!" Junko shouts from inside the ship.

He's right. I can see talons swarming the shy above us, turning the once quiet, enjoyable night into a night of turmoil and chaos. And where there's turmoil and chaos, there's-

"Dark Ace!" Aerrow points overhead.

Sure enough, there he is, flying among the talons. The only way I could ever really see him in the mess of talons, especially at night, is by the red glow of his weapon.

He looks down at us, and he's flying in closer. I can see his sickening smile now.

"Hello, Aerrow," says Dark Ace, a taunting note in his voice. "It's a rather nice night out tonight, isn't it? The kind of night where you can just lay about, defenseless, and enjoying this spectacular terra?"

I can feel Aerrow tense next to me, and I can feel my own body tensing, because we both know he's right. This is the perfect place to catch your enemies with their guard down. We just happen to be the victims of this unfortunate logic.

Dark Ace laughs. "C'mon, maybe I'll give you time to get to your ride and come up here so I can eliminate you."

Just then, Junko and Finn fly out into the night on their skimmers, flying toward the circling talons and beginning to shoot. A couple of shots from Finn fly our way, clearly intended for Dark Ace. He growls, and flies off after our sharpshooter.

"Aerrow!" Junko yells, firing off a few missles at the talons and Dark Ace, "we'll hold them off for now! Take Piper get to your rides, we're gonna need some help up here!"

Aerrow acts on it. Both of us run through the entrance into the Condor, grabbing our weapons along the way. We make for the hanger bay, and he boards his skimmer with Radaar as I hop on my heliscooter. "C'mon, let's go!" He says, rolling out and taking off, me following closely behind.

We're in the air now, and things don't seem too good. I can't spot Finn, that is until I see him riding with Junko on his ride (his ride must've been totaled again, I sigh inwardly). Both are evading the blasts of both Dark Ace and the talons, but just barely.

That's when I start shooting. I land a few hits, causing the talons to abandon their rides and deploy their parachutes. Aerrow knocks out a few more, and even Radaar tagged one by knocking the talon off of his ride with a wrench that he threw.

There are about half a dozen talons left, and the Dark Ace himself. I look up at him. He looks down at us, and sees me looking at him. His eyes are daggers. But then, they aren't. They're mischievous now. Am I the only one too notice the sudden change in expression?

Apparently so, because while Junko and Finn are focused on the last of the talons, Aerrow's heading straight for Dark Ace. Maybe it's just me, but Aerrow's not what he's focusing on right now.

Aerrow's POV

There he is. My biggest rival. He's the one who helped to destroy my family, and many others.

I'm steering my skimmer upward until we're at eye level, about fifteen yards apart. I take out my blades, ready for battle. "Dark Ace," I mutter, loud enough for him to hear.

He turns his gaze towards me, but there's something about his look that… doesn't seem right. His grin is taunting, as always, but his eyes are… mischievous. And clever. It's that look that makes the smallest shiver run down my spine.

"I'm sorry, Aerrow," he says, "but I have other engagements. We'll have to schedule another time."

That's when he dives. I'm in shock, it happened so fast. Radaar nudges me into action again. I dive right after him.

What's he going after? He loves nothing more than a good fight, so what?

Then I see Piper. She's right below us. Right in our path. _His _path. "Piper!" I yell.

She moves, diving down toward the water we had been swimming in happily only hours before.

He's catching up to her. Why did I give him such a head start? "C'mon Piper, just until I get there," I say, more to myself than to her.

Dark Ace starts shooting at her. She maneuvers to dodge the first shot. The second shot is a near miss. We're running out of room to dive. We're going reach the ground soon enough.

I can tell Dark Ace is getting frustrated now. He gets up to stand on the seat, despite the weight of the powerful gravity. He relaxes his pose, kicks on the auto-pilot on his skimmer, and jumps. He jumps up into the air smoothly, executing his signature move. The blast head straight for Piper.

"Piper!" I yell, but it's too late. Her heliscooter's been hit. It's smoking, and she's heading toward the surface at an alarming rate, with Dark Ace right behind her. With the shot dealt, he dives, changing his form so that he can slice through the air more easily.

I have no choice. I have to go after him. "Radaar, take over!" I don't even wait for a response, I just jump and go after them.

We're getting dangerously close to the ground now. I can see the white caps of the stirring water below. My eyes are stinging in the wind.

I can see Piper up ahead past Dark Ace. She can't pull up heliscooter anymore. She bails, leaving her ride to spiral down below. I have to hurry.

Dark Ace is right on top of her. Fear rises in me when I hear her shriek. It rises even more so when I see Dark Ace pull up with his glider, with Piper in his arms.

It all happens so fast. I pull up with my glider, inches from the ground, only to still crash into the waters. I think I'm drowning. It's punishing me for not making it. I come up to see, what's going on, to see where she is.

I can see the talons retreating, and Dark Ace delaying for a second. Piper is sitting behind him on his ride, clearly knocked out because I can't see her struggling in any way or form. He laughs that laugh I've always hated from the start, even before this. He turns his ride around and follows the talons, taking Piper with him.

I stare in disbelief. In shock. In…. anger. This is an all-time low, even for him. No one takes my girl away from me and gets away with it.

A/N: Uh oh, Aerrow's mad now. Tune in next time for the next chapter! Bye! =)


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hello, wonderful people! I'm just on a writing streak this week- here's Chapter 4 of Mi Amor, Aerrow!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Storm Hawks or its characters in any shape or form, alright? To the story! Enjoy!!!**

Aerrow's POV

It's been an hour since he took her away from us. From me.

After I was pulled out of the water, all I knew was that we had to go and get Piper back. That's all I knew. That's all I remember.

Well, I also remember that Stork and Junko were telling me (or trying to) that the ship had taken on some damage that would need tending to before we could go anywhere, and that I needed to rest. Rest? Rest can't heal my heart, nothing will until I get my girl back.

They had to force me to rest (I laugh harshly at the oxymoron). And I mean force. They had to practically throw me over Junko's shoulder and take me to my room. They say that they'll let me come out before we reach Cyclonia, so we can get together and make a plan. But until then, I'm to stay in my room. And to make sure that I do, Radaar is posted outside of my room, assigned the duty of being my guard.

And now, as I lie here on my bed thinking about all of this, I can't help but feeling like a little kid who's been sent to his room. Dark Ace kidnapped Piper, she's being taken to their home terra, and they're punishing me now? They couldn't have picked a worse time!

But then a thought forms in my head. _I couldn't save her._ It's my fault that things are the way they are now.

I start to close my eyes, the full weight of everything upon me now. It's when I close my eyes that I see his face, and I know I'm going to have a nightmare.

***

"Aerrow." Someone calls for me outside of my dreamless state. My eyes snap open and I sit up, trying to find the person that called me.

"Aerrow." Oh, it's just Stork over the loud speaker. "C'mon, we're going to be approaching Cyclonian territory soon." Good, I'm ready to kick someone's ass.

I get up off of my bed and open the door. Radaar's there, and it looks like he's just woken up too because he looks confused about where he is. I almost laugh. Almost.

He quietly follows me into the main room, where everyone's waiting for us. But they all stare at me. I don't need a mirror to know that I look horrible. I glance at the window I'm passing to se how bad I look. My hair is even more messy than usually, I look paler (probably because I didn't even bother drying off after I got out of the water), and despite the fact that I slept, I already have pale circles forming under my eyes. I couldn't care less right now.

I notice that Finn's eyeballing me more than everybody else. He even opens his mouth to say something (probably a suggestion of hair gel), but is silenced by Stork who elbows him in the stomach, as if he knew what he was going to say. And other than Finn's small grunt, silence fills the already tense air.

I decide to ease it, along with everyone else's nerves. "So, how far are we from Cyclonia?" I ask.

"Just about fifteen to twenty minutes away," Junko informs me, "that's enough time to come up with a plan, right?"

"Yeah…" I trail off. Damn, what _is_ the plan?

"Aerrow?" Stork prods.

"Huh?" Crap. "Oh, sorry…" C'mon Aerrow, I think to myself, get it together.

I almost jump when Junko places his hand on my shoulder. "We're gonna get her back, Aerrow," he said firmly.

I looked at him and nodded. I have to believe it, even if it was my fault. There's no time for me to punish myself for losing her, that can wait until _after_ she's back here with us.

I mentally shake myself and make the gears turn in my head. "Ok, I begin, "here's the plan…"

A/N: Yay! Go and get your girl back, Aerrow! Lol, that's all for this chapter. Stick around for chapter 5, coming soon to a computer near you! =)


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hiya! Anaghia here with the Chapter 5 of Mi Amor, Aerrow!

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything-- Storm Hawks, the characters-- nothing at all… Just the plot…ENJOY!!!**

Aerrow's POV

My dad once told me that the phrase "mi amor" meant "my love" in another language. I forget which language, but Piper would know, she's good at remembering things like that. If everything turns out okay after what went on today and what's about to happen, I just may call her that the rest of my life.

Piper's POV

I wake up in a room that I know isn't mine. For one thing, it has bars. Another thing is that Cyclonians don't exactly hang out on the Condor, like the ones staring at me now.

What the hell, I wonder. That's when it hits me- the surprise attack, Dark Ace's creepy change in expressions, my heliscooter being shot down, Dark Ace catching me, Aerrow crashing…

Aerrow! Is he… he can't be, he's stronger than that. He's still alive. I can feel it. I believe it.

My hand automatically reaches for my necklace. Or, at least where it should be. It's gone! Damn it! It must've fallen off after I was hit. It was my most valued possession…

My thoughts are interrupted when the door of my "room"- more like a cell- swings open with a sickening creak. Cyclonis stepped into the room, closely followed by Dark Ace. I narrowed my eyes at the both of them as he closed the door behind them.

"Hello Piper," Cyclonis said sweetly, but knowing her, it wasn't as sweet as anyone else would think.

"What do you want Cyclonis?" I said harshly. I know I'm in no condition to be talking like this to her, but I'm not exactly in a good mood right now.

"Mind your tongue, Storm Hawk!" Dark Ace said coolly, stepping forward slightly.

"Quiet Dark Ace," Cyclonis quietly snapped at him, "It's understandable that she wouldn't be…" she gave me a knowing look,"…very happy right now."

Dark Ace glared at me as Cyclonis took a few steps forward toward me. "My offer for you to join me still stands, you know," she told me as if she were offering to pay for a day out to lunch.

"And I still _don't_ accept it," I practically growl.

"Ah, but Piper," Cyclonis said, taking a seat on the other end of my bed, "you don't know how well off you'll be after you join- you won't have to worry about not being in an official squadron. You won't have to worry about anymore Cyclonians chasing after you. You won't even have to worry about your friends anymore. Especially if you can convince them to join us as well."

I was really getting annoyed now. I looked up at Dark Ace. I could swear that I saw him wince at the suggestion that the Storm Hawks join Cyclonia. My reaction would've been the same if I wasn't trying to play it cool.

"Never." I said, plain and simple.

I could see Cyclonis's eyes flash annoyance and impatience. I was treading on dangerous grounds now.

Then her expression relaxed just a little. "Well, maybe this will change your mind." She held out a necklace. It looked somewhat like mine, a small refined but pointed crystal hanging on a thick black string, but this one was different. The crystal on mine was a comforting bluish-green color. This one was a blood-red color. "You thought you lost it, didn't you?" She said in that fake sweet voice again.

"That's not mine," I said firmly.

"Oh, but it is," she contradicted, "it turned this color after you were hit by Dark Ace's blast. The blast of energy from his firebolt crystal reacted with your crystal."

I stared at the crystal with distrusting eyes. It _did_ look like it was mine, but I couldn't see Dark Ace going back for a piece of jewelry that had no meaning to him. And I _definitely_ couldn't see Cyclonis going out to get it herself.

I look back at Cyclonis. If it weren't for her dark aura, she'd pass off as innocent. I may not know about how a blast from a firebolt crystal could effect my own, but I know that I can't trust her.

Cyclonis got up and laid necklace on the bed beside me. "Think of it as a token of generosity." she said, "My offer still stands, and I believe that you'll eventually find it… appealing." And with that, she and Dark Ace left, closing and locking the door behind me.

I keep staring at the necklace, and eventually pick it up. I'm just sitting here, weighing a crystal in my hand when I should be finding a way out of here. But there's something about this necklace. It's got a draw to it that I can't understand. Maybe it _is_ mine.

Without thinking, I put it on. Hmm, it doesn't _not_ feel right. It feels just like mine. Still, it could all be a trick…

Suddenly, just like that, it feels right. But not just the necklace. _Everything_ feels right. Me being here. It suddenly feels homey. Like I _belong_ here.

Wait…_what_?

Aerrow's POV

According to Stork and Junko, we're about five minutes away from Cyclonia. To me, we can't get there fast enough. We need to get Piper out of there. That's what I know for sure. As for everything else- our rescue plan, my sanity- I'm not too sure about.

That's when something tugs on my leg. I look down at Radaar. He looks nervous. And sad. But aren't we all?

But then my eyes shift to what he's holding. It takes me a minute to register what I'm looking at. In his hand, he's holding Piper's necklace by the string. The one that I gave to her for her birthday a long time ago it seems.

It still has its bluish-green glow, but the thick black string has snapped. I silently take it from Radaar. "Thanks buddy," I manage to say, even though my throat's dry. He squeaks in sympathy and leaves me to take it in.

I close my hand around the crystal. Piper, I _swear_ that I'll save you, no matter what.

A/N: So if Aerrow's got Piper's necklace, then… O.O Uh-oh. And what's with Piper's sudden change in attitude? Can a firebolt crystal actually have that effect on another crystal? Why am I asking you all these questions??? Lol, Chapter 6 will be coming soon, to a computer near you. See ya!


	6. Chapter 6

**(A/N: Hiiiiiii!!!!! Welcome to Chapter 6 of Mi Amor, Aerrow!!!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Storm Hawks or its characters. Enjoy!!!**

Aerrow's POV

And there it is. Cyclonia. The worst place anyone could be (besides Terra Deep and the Black Gorge, according to Stork). And Piper is there, so soon enough, we will be too.

"Everyone know the plan?" I ask as we prepare.

"Yep," says Finn.

"Got it," Junko gives me a thumbs-up.

"We're doomed," Stork mumbles.

It's going to be a surprise attack. No one knows we're here yet- so far so good. On my way to my ride, ready to get going ASAP, I catch a glance of my reflection in a window. I still look stressed, but I don't look as bad as I did earlier (Finn helped me with that). My blades are in the sheath on my back, and my hands were unknowingly clenched into tight fists. And I'm now wearing Piper's necklace- fixed, thanks to Junko- around my neck, sort of like my motivation.

I take it all in slowly. We've gotta get my girl out of there with as little hassle as possible. We can do that, right?

"Alright, it's time," I call out, "everyone to your rides."

Finn and Junko get to their skimmers while Radaar and me board ours. Stork, as usual, is going to keep piloting the Condor, trying to maintain it's unseen status and still be at the ready if we need help.

The hanger bay door opens. "Okay, remember," I say, "this is a stealth mission. We're gonna try and get Piper out of there with as little trouble as possible. Stay low until I give the word."

"Roger that," they pipe up.

Our skimmers roar to life- they seem so loud when we're trying to go in quietly- and we roll out. We take to the sky as soon as we reach the end of the hanger.

Closer and closer Cyclonia seems to come. I give Finn the signal to cut his engines and just let his ride coast. The less noise, the better.

I'm starting to get nervous. Where are all the guards? It's good for us, but it's kind of suspicious too. I know there may be a few more guards in the place where they're holding Piper (given the "infamous" title of being a Storm Hawk among them), but they'd never let their guard down like this…

Piper's POV

This is home now. It really does feel like home to me. Everyone's being polite to me now, compared to how they first treated me when they knew me as a Storm Hawk. Master Cyclonis has even lent me a long, flowing black dress with long sleeves, small purple frills on the end, and an open neck. My orange headband has been replaced with a purple one. And my red necklace now hangs comfortably around my neck, resting against my chest.

I'm also aloud to walk about as I please. Sure, there are a few guards following me (at least they're attempting to make it look like they aren't), but I'm free of that cell I woke up in.

As I walk by, some of them bow slightly- probably because I'm in Master Cyclonis's favor, which doesn't seem as odd as it did a little bit earlier. Don't get me wrong, it still feels unusual, but it's in my best interests to be on her good side, so it's best not to question it.

I'm (or should I say "we" since those guards are still following?) walking around in a large room. It's not as expansive as her main room with her throne and all, but I still consider it large since it's bigger than my new room. It has a giant window. I can see just about anything out of it. There's even a large telescope in here.

I look through it. I can't see any other terras, but I can see a lot. The waste lands below, the jagged rocks that surround us… it's not much, but I can see some details, no matter how dull.

One of my guards cough. They are really starting to work a nerve. I look in their direction. "You there," I say with a new authority I never knew I had.

They stiffen, but quickly walk over to my place in front of the telescope. "You are excused from your duties." I told them.

"We cannot do that, I'm afraid," the one with the curly mustache and goatee said nervously, "Master Cyclonis gave us direct orders to-"

"I will take care of it. If she does find out, let her know that I relieved you of your duties so that you won't be punished for it." They looked at each other nervously, and then bowed slightly to me before leaving hastily. It was like they were hurrying away so they would lessen their chances of running into her.

I'm starting to like this new authority of mine. It's something that I've hardly ever had in the past, especially in matters concerning Finn.

_Finn_…

Suddenly, my head starts throbbing as if someone's just hit me in the head with a bat. My hands hold my head and I sink to the ground, my head pounding. I'm starting to regret sending those guards away so quickly.

A few minutes later, the throbbing starts to stop, and about a minute later it stops altogether. What was that all about?

I push the matter aside and resume peering out the window. And that's when I see it. Or should I say _them_?

My… friends?

One of them is flying right toward me, despite the clear warnings to stay away coming from the others. He's coming closer, and closer…

Finally, he's made it to the window. He's settled his skimmer by the window so we can get a good look at each other. Even though there's stress settled in his good looks, his hair is still ruffled, his mouth is upturned in concern for others, and his eyes are still that intense green, the eyes that could make me confess just about anything to my best friend.

It's just as I remembered him- mi amor, Aerrow.

A/N: Wow, what's gonna happen next? Find out, Chapter 7 will be up asap (semester finals are over, YES!). See ya! XD


	7. Chapter 7

(A/N: What's up my people? I'm kicking off the summer with Chapter 7 of Mi Amor, Aerrow!)

**Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks or its characters, alright? On with the story!!!**

Aerrow's POV

What have they done to her?

She's been transformed into… something like Cyclonis, just… it's Piper.

I take a minute to take in her appearance. She's dressed in a semi-Cyclonis outfit, but that's not one of the things that catch my eye. Around her neck is a necklace- similar to the one I gave her (which is still around my neck)- but it's red. I'm already getting a bad vibe about it. The next thing I notice- and by far the most disturbing- are her eyes. They used to be a beautiful, unique shade of orange. But now, they're a blend of red and purple, making her look somewhat menacing. But I can't help but notice that there is something in those eyes now… is it sadness?

Suddenly, she's on the ground, writhing in agony, clutching her head between her hands. "Piper!" I yell involuntarily. The glass is so thick that my voice may have not carried through, but I don't care. I may have given us away, but I don't care. But I _do_ care about Piper, and I can't bare to see her in pain, even if she has turned to the dark side or not.

I can see her screaming something. But I can't hear her. I put my ear up to the glass, and Radaar follows suit. What is she saying?

Piper's POV

The pain is excruciating. I can't stand it. It's like whenever I begin to remember them- remember _him_- my brain is rejecting the thoughts. My screams haven't attracted any guards… yet.

_Aerrow_…_Storm…Hawks…_

Through the pain, I can hear myself scream, "Storm Hawks! They're here!" _What am I saying?_ Aren't these… my friends?

I can see his eyes widen out of the corner of my eye. The glass is thick, but he must've heard. I'm scared for him.

_Who cares about him?,_ some faraway part of me says, a part of me that I never knew existed, _He abandoned you back there- that's the reason you're here now. _This_ is your home now. Forget them._

_What_?!, the other part of me screams, the good part that cares, No! They're my friends!

Through the conflict going on in my head, through my tears of pain, I scream "Aerrow, run!"

And that's when the alarm sounds.

Aerrow's POV

I could faintly hear Piper. She told me to run. To just… leave her here?

The alarm is dull in my ears. Piper wants me to leave her here in the hands of Cyclonis? And to let her suffer the pain that she's clearly in now?

Never.

"Junko! Finn!" I yell, "Start shooting at this glass wall as soon as I give the word!"

I stare in at Piper. She's still on the floor, crying. She looks up at me. "Get away from the window!" I yell, making the hand motions for her to back off.

She gets the message, and is moving back. But… is there reluctance in her movement?

"Uh, Aerrow?!" Finn says. "We've got company!"

I look back, and immediately regret it. Talons are swarming out of their hanger bay, coming straight for us. And the Dark Ace is with them, plainly getting ready to enjoy himself.

I back up my ride so that I'm out of our firing range. "Fire!" I cry out. Junko's missiles fly toward the window along with Finn's arrows. To top it off, I leap into the air and fire off a blast from my Lightning Claw.

There was a cracking sound, and I knew we'd done it. I stared at the now spider web-like window as it slowly fell apart. I didn't wait for all of it to fall. As soon as there was a opening big enough for me, I flew through, despite Radaar's warnings.

I landed, the glass crunching under my wheels. I immediately jumped off of my ride and ran to Piper. She was still on the floor, staring in disbelief. I could swear that her flashed orange, but I don't have time to. "C'mon Piper," I tell her, taking her hand, "they're coming. We've gotta move, now!"

Then something happens that I would _never_ expect to happen. _She pulled away._ She looks at me with… _hatred?_ "Piper…?" I'm stunned.

"I-it's to late for me." She stutters. "Leave."

…_What?_ "I could never… No." What is she talking about? What have they done to her?

"Just go!" She shouts at me. "I'm giving you a chance to leave, so take it! I hate you!"

Her words sting me like a smack in the face- over and over again, never ceasing. But I don't care. "I am not leaving you here!" I yell back at her, practically growling.

I stunned her into silence. I'm stunned too, but it wears off quickly. I quickly grab her arm, pull her to her feet and, not pausing, dash for my skimmer, pulling her along with me.

I leap onto the seat of my ride, pulling her down behind me so quickly that she can't fight me off. I start it up and roll out. "Radaar- wings!" I tell him, giving him the signal to pull the lever so we can get airborne. He does, and we're off.

I can feel that Piper is still wanting to resist, but since we're off the ground and liable to plunge into the wastelands, she has no choice but to stay put. But I'm not really focused on that right now. What I am focused on is just as bad, if not worse.

The fight between us and the Cyclonians is nerve wrecking. They're everywhere, coming from every direction. I can see Junko, Finn, and Stork (in the Condor, of course) fighting off as many as they can, which isn't much with this many.

But, among the swarm, I can see him. He who started all of this. He who made this all happen in the first place. He who is the reason that Piper told me "I hate you".

Dark Ace flies down to my level, the thirst for battle sparkling in his eyes. "Trying to rescue the girl, eh?" He smirks. "I'm afraid that I can't allow that. She belongs to Master Cyclonis now."

I can feel Piper stiffen behind me. I stiffen too, but out of sheer anger. I never thought I'd despise the Dark Ace this much… until now.

"Finn!" I call to him. He's at my side in seconds. "Here, take Piper." I say, helping her onto the back of his seat. "Get her to the Condor ASAP."

"Roger that!" He says, bee lining for the ship as Dark Ace continues to stare at me, egging me on.

No, I think angrily as we charge at each other, you're _not_ taking another person away from me.

A/N: Woah, intense… CLIFFHANGER! Continued in Chapter 8! Coming to you soon (Summer Vacation has begun! Hell-to-the-yeah!!! XD)! Lol, woohoo, I'll update soon!

Ooo, and a quick thanks to my reviewers. You guys are my inspiration to keep going. Thanks!!! See ya! =)


	8. Chapter 8

(A/N: Hola my peoples. Here is Chapter 8 of Mi Amor, Aerrow!!)

**Disclaimer: I don't own Storm Hawks or any of its characters. Enjoy!! =)**

Piper's POV

I can't help but glance back at Aerrow. He and the Dark Ace are swinging their weapons madly at each other, and Aerrow looks thoroughly pissed. Dark Ace looks as though he couldn't be having a better time.

I can't believe I said I hated him!, I think as I turn back around in my seat. And yet he still fights… now _that_ says something.

The Condor is close now, but there are talons blocking our path. And I'm not talking just a few. I'm talking fifteen to twenty- at the least. It's apparent that Cyclonis is aware that the Storm Hawks are here, taking me with them.

_Don't you mean _Master _Cyclonis?, _that evil voice hisses.

No, I mean Cyclonis- as in "not my master", I mentally snap back. My head's starting to hurt again.

_She is your master. But she is also like a sister to you. You two have so much in common… And can't you see what she has done for you? She's provided the necessities, and so much more._

_No_!, I cry out in my mind as I start to squirm in my seat. We are _nothing_ alike! And she's part of the reason we're in this mess in the first place!

My head is on fire, and going a million miles an hour. I'm vaguely aware of Finn shooting down talons to clear a path for us as I groan in pain.

"Hold on Piper," he's saying, "we're almost there. Just a few more shots and we're home free!"

What else can I do? Holding onto him on the back of his seat and closing my eyes is all I can do to keep my sanity. But I can't close my eyes. They're too focused on my love fighting for his life down below us.

Aerrow's POV

One stalemate after another as our weapons continue clashing together with no effect, and no one's giving up either. I'm never gonna give up. And by the looks of it, neither is he- he's having too much fun to quit.

"Give up, Sky Knight," he says, a playful but evil smile on his face, "You cannot win. Look around you. There are too many for your friends to handle. And you are doing no better with me alone. The girl is coming back with us, regardless of the outcome here."

I decide to take advantage of his gloating to actually look around. Junko is still in the air, nailing talons with missiles and taking them down by hand with his Knuckle Busters. Finn's almost made it back to the Condor with Piper, where Stork is still shooting rapidly at his targets.

I steal a glance up at Piper. She's clinging to Finn, staring back at me. Even from here, I can see the sorrow and fear in her eyes. This rekindles the fire in my heart. Anything or anyone that scares my girl is my enemy. I send her "I'll be okay" and "I'll be with you shortly" looks, finishing up with an "I love you" smile.

She must've gotten my message (although I'm not too sure that the "I love you" message got through) because she turned back around in her seat just seconds before Finn landed in the hanger bay.

She's almost safe now, I think. Now here comes the hard part. I charge at Dark Ace, ready to finish this. He looks eager and amused, and follows suit.

Close to our collision point, I bail- leaving Radaar to take over- and smoothly land on his ride with my blades drawn. He scowls at me and stands up on his seat, wielding his own weapon.

Both of us swing toward each other, coming to yet another stalemate. He's getting annoyed now. He suddenly draws back with his weapon, almost making me fall over, and leaps up into the air. He grabs the hilt of his blade with both of his hands, bends back, and I know what's coming. Wait for it, I think. Wait for it…

The red energy pulses through him and out of his weapon, heading toward me. I count it out…

When it's close enough, I jump from his ride, allowing the blast to destroy his skimmer. I can hear him roar with rage. It's also the way I feel inside- the rage. Except it's for a different reason.

My turn. I quickly start to build up energy before he can recover from that move. I can feel it, the energy making my skin tingle with warmth. I close my eyes and picture Piper, just like she was before all of this, but in a new way. In this picture, she was with me, warm and safe in my arms. She was smiling up at me. She didn't have to say "I love you" to me because I already knew it from the way she was looking at me. I didn't have to say it either, but I did anyway. _I love you, _I thought as I fired off the shot.

I watched as the shot made contact with its target. Dark Ace yelled out in pain and defeat as he fell toward the wastelands. I draw out my glider wings and watch until he falls below the cloud cover. Then I head back to the ship, dodging the talons that are retreating at the defeat of the Dark Ace. But they could be flies for all I care. All I care about right now is Piper.

A/N: Woohoo! I'm gonna stop here for now so I can build up the tension for the ending (which might be soon… I don't know, my mind may cook up something between now and then- who knows?). Chapter 9- coming soon to a computer near you! See ya! =)


	9. Chapter 9

(A/N: Hi! Anaghia here with the fabulous Chapter 9 of Mi Amor, Aerrow!!)

**Disclaimer: I own nothing- the Storm Hawks, its characters- nothing. Just the plot… Enjoy!**

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Aerrow's POV

As soon as I land in the hanger bay, I retract my wings and look around for Piper. Everyone else has made it back, but she's no where in sight.

Junko speaks, reading my mind. "She's in her room- asleep," he told me.

"Is she okay?" I have to know.

"We don't know…"

We let the words hang there for a minute. "Maybe her mind has been infested with mind worms," says Stork, just now joining us.

Finn snaps his fingers. "That just may be it," he says thoughtfully.

I would've laughed if it weren't for the fact that we're discussing what could be wrong with her. I look down at the crystal that's still hanging from my neck and grip it in my hand tightly. What could be wrong…

And then, just like the smell of Junko's cooking, it hits me. "The crystal!" I think out loud.

Everyone looks at me. "Crystal? What crystal?" Finn asks.

"The one that she's wearing- the red one. She wasn't wearing it before and she was fine. Now she _is_ wearing it and she's acting weird. I really think that it's what's causing her behavior!"

"Then what're we standing around for? Let's go and get rid of it!" Finn says.

I don't need to be told twice. I race past them toward Piper's room. Now that I know what the problem is, I've gotta get rid of it.

When I reach the door, I don't hesitate for a second- not even to knock- and I go in. She's lying on her bed asleep. She seems so peaceful. That is, until I hear her talk in her sleep.

"Take me back," she's mumbling. "You're in danger… take me back…" With a soft snore, she quiets down again.

Everyone's standing behind me now, waiting. Trying to ignore the stares I can feel on my back, I step forward and kneel at the side of my sleeping beauty's bed. Carefully, I reach toward the necklace. The red culprit is hot in my hand, even though I'm wearing gloves. I can feel that it -yes, _it_- is resisting my touch. Or trying to anyway. It's becoming hotter and hotter, halfway to the point of _stinging_ me.

Even so, I use both hands to keep the string still enough so that it won't tickle Piper's neck as it comes off.

To me, everything is going in super slow motion, even though I'm anxious to get it off as soon as possible. Finally, after lifting her head up slightly, the necklace comes off easily. I didn't realize I was holding my breath until now.

"So now what?" Junko whispers from the doorway.

"We get rid of it," I whisper back as I stare down at my girl, "once and for all."

I quickly step out of the room and make my way to the hanger. Once I'm there, I take one of my blades in one hand and hold the crystal in the other. I stare at the red crystal for a moment, even though it's going to be too hot to bear. It was this small, seemingly harmless crystal that was making Piper this way. "It ends now," I mutter as I activate my blade.

I toss the necklace up as high as I can. It's almost to the ceiling when I shoot at it. Everything is going in slow motion. The menace is making it's way back down when my blast catches it. Suddenly, everything speeds up, and the crystal is no more. All that's left is the string that it hung on, now lying on limp on the floor.

As invigorating as it is, the only thing on my mind right now -as I briskly walk back to where everyone's waiting for me- is Piper. Did it even matter that I destroyed it? What if nothing's changed? What if this is _permanent_? What if-

No more time for "what ifs_._" I'm back in her room and, with everyone else, watching her wake up.

Piper's POV

I'd been dreaming of floating in nothingness before I started to wake up. The thing that had disturbed me was the jolt of the evil little voice, which had been speaking to me in my dreams, suddenly being silenced- cut off in mid-sentence. It had screamed a shrill scream, and then there was only silence.

I slowly opened my eyes, trying to adjust to the bright lights opposed to the darkness behind my eyelids. Once they did, I looked around my room. My _real_ room. Everything looks like it should, and everything is where it should be. Then I notice my friends standing in here, staring at me.

Then my eyes shift to Aerrow in particular. He seems frozen in his place, his bright green eyes anxious, waiting. Waiting for what? _What _is everybody waiting for???

Then it kicks in. Dark Ace kidnapping me, Cyclonis being nice to me, that necklace she gave me, my weird mood swings, the team coming to rescue me… Aerrow yelling at me… I silently reach for the spot where the necklace should be resting. It's gone.

Do they think I'm going to go nuts or something? Like bang around the ship until they take me back? Hmph, like that's gonna happen…

When things get even more awkward because of the silence, I decide to break it. "What happened?" I ask, since I don't remember _everything_.

Aerrow's tension seems to ease, if only a little bit, as he walks over and sits on the end of my bed. He looks down at me and says, "I destroyed that red crystal that the Cyclonians gave you. It was… controlling you." I noticed him wince at the memory.

I sit up. My body feels so stiff! "I thought that… it was my necklace- the necklace you gave me for my birthday." I look at him, mentally beating myself up for being so stupid.

"Ok! We can see that you're doing great Piper!" says Finn, inching out of the room, trying to force Junko, Stork, and Radaar out with him, "we'll just leave you alone now."

"Huh?" Junko asks, and then it looks as though a little light bulb had clicked on over his head. "Oh… oh yeah. We'll see you guys later."

"Mind worms, I'm telling you…" Stork mutters as he leaves.

Radaar sneaks in a look between me and Aerrow before Finn's hand yanks him by the tail and out of sight. Then we can hear him growling and Finn howling in pain, probably from Radaar biting him. Aerrow and I can't help but laugh.

Once the comic relief is over, things get serious again. "So you thought that the necklace you were wearing was the one I gave you?" he asks quietly.

I feel so guilty. "Cyclonis told me that the change in color was a reaction from Dark Ace's firebolt crystal. I feel so stupid for believing her." Then a thought comes to me. "What… did I say to you when I had it on?"

Many emotions cross Aerrow's face. Surprise. Embarrassment. Sadness. "You…" he pauses as if this is killing him, "…you said that… you _hated _me."

I can't breathe. "I… I did?" I gasp. He nods. "I didn't mean it! It wasn't me saying that! I mean, it was, but- oh Aerrow, I'm so sorry!" I'm halfway to sobbing now. If he weren't here with me, I'd already be in crying it out on my pillow.

He scoots closer to me on the bed and puts his arms around my shoulders. "Hey, it's ok," he says in a reassuring voice, "what matters is that you're safe."

"I guess," I say as I stare at the floor.

I can tell he's not convinced. "By the way," he says, "I picked something up on the way to bring you home."

I gaze up at him and can't believe what he's motioning to. _My necklace._ How did I not notice him wearing it?

Aerrow takes it off over his head and pulls it down over mine. It feels so warm. Has he been wearing it this whole time?

"H-how'd you find it?" I accidentally stutter.

"Actually, Radaar found it," he tells me, "it must've fallen off during battle. I've been wearing it as a good luck charm ever since." He smiles at me.

"Thank you," I say as I hug him. "For everything." I breathe in his sweet but spicy scent, hoping that I'll never be pulled away from it again.

"Piper?"

"Hm?" I answer, now in my own little world.

"I love you."

That snaps me out of it. Did I hear wrong? "Huh?" I ask, kind of dazed.

"I said, 'I love you.'"

I pull back to look at him. He's wearing the most honest look I've ever seen. His eyes are glowing a bright green, brighter than usual. And his mouth is upturned into a shy, modest smile. I'm also vaguely aware that his hands are still resting lightly on mine. "I love you too." I say. And I mean it- I really do.

"Phew," he said, grinning, "for a second there, I thought I was gonna have to abandon ship from embarrassment."

I laugh. "No chance of that now, huh?"

We're quiet for a moment. Aerrow's busying himself by concentrating on running his thumb over the back of one of my hands, clearly thinking about something. When I finally can't take it anymore, I ask, "Aerrow, what're you thinking about?"

He looks up at me with innocent eyes. The corners of his mouth were turned up a little, but not as much as before. He silently searches my eyes.

"Please, tell me," I whisper, pleading with him.

His cheeks go pink a little- he's so cute when he's shy- but he tells me, "Well… I wanted to…" He evades his eyes and lapses into silence again.

"Wanted to what?" The new tension is _killing _me.

Aerrow looks up at me one more time as he finishes his sentence with a newfound strength. "- To try this." And then he kissed me.

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A/N: Awwww! So _kawaii_!!!! I love this couple so much... And don't worry, I'm not letting it end here. There's some unfinished business between me and this story! Heh heh, look out people, the Epilogue will be making it's way to your computer soon! See ya!


	10. Epilogue

**(A/N: Hello, and welcome to the Epilogue- the final chapter of Mi Amor, Aerrow!)**

**Disclaimer: I still, unfortunately, do not own Storm Hawks or **_**any**_** of its characters… *sniff* ENJOY! =)**

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Piper's POV

_Dear Journal,_ I write, _it's been 4 full weeks since I was captured by the Cyclonians, 4 full weeks since I was rescued by the team, and 4 full weeks since my true love and I became a couple._

_You should've seen the way everyone else reacted! It was the next day, when Aerrow and I walked out into the main room hand-in-hand, that they immediately found out. Stork gasped in sarcasm- but I saw him smile before he left to steer the ship again, Junko gathered the both of us into one of his famous bone-crushing hugs, Radaar cheered, and Finn claimed he knew all along. He accidentally let it slip that he'd read my diary prior to everything. He's still recovering from the big lump on his head that I gave him by throwing a baseball at him- the one that was his and was conveniently lying around at the time._

_As for Aerrow and I…_ I pause in thought, and then continue. _Well, let's just say that it's hard to go out on a date when there's a team to manage, and we certainly can't leave Finn in charge again, now can we?_

_But we manage. For instance, a few days ago, Aerrow and I stayed up all night in the main room, watching movies, commentating for them, and just talking period. It was so fun. Ok, so I didn't manage to stay up _all_ night. I actually fell asleep. When I woke up, I asked mi amor if I'd fallen asleep and how long I was out. He told me that I did fall asleep, and that he'd lost track of time because he had been watching me sleep. He also said that I look like an angel when I'm asleep- calm, peaceful, and adorable. He's so sweet._

_And I ended up falling back asleep about an hour later, this time I fell asleep in his arms. I remember that I'd dreamt I was flying with him somewhere- anywhere, in the warmth of the sun. _

_When I woke up for the second time that night, I found myself back in my room. _He must've carried me back to my room, _I thought. I even went to check up on him (who knew how long I'd been out?). I found him in his room asleep. _And he says _I_ look like an angel when I sleep, _I thought. He's absolutely adorable when he's asleep. Sure, I can't see his beautiful green eyes when he's asleep, but he looks like a baby when he's sleeping. I'm not saying he sucks his thumb or anything- just that he looks so innocent. And he was smiling in his dream. I wonder if he dreamt the same thing as me…_

_Anyway, yeah, it's been 4 weeks. A month since we got together. I'm wondering, should I get him something- like a month-erversary present? I know it sounds tacky, but I've been waiting for this for a long time. I want to make the most of it… So what should I-_

"Piper!" Finn says, now standing at my door, "C'mon! Terra Neon awaits!"

"Terra Neon?" I ask, completely confused, "No one said anything about Terra Neon."

"Oops, must've slipped my mind," he says, "now c'mon! You can write later!"

After he leaves, I sigh. I can never get all of my writing done. But I've got most of it done, I suppose. I close my journal and place it in the drawer of my desk, and then lock it. Finn hasn't touched it since the baseball incident, but why tempt him?

Terra Neon… no one told me… I look out of my window. Finn was right, we're here already.

And then I almost gag with a sudden thought. I check the calendar. _It's his birthday_!So _that's_ why we're on Terra Neon!I need to find something for Aerrow- now! Argh! What would he like? Something from Neon? A stuffed animal? Funnel cake _(A/N: Mmm, funnel cake)_? A-

Then it hits me. I stare at my desk where I left it. Why didn't I think of this sooner?? I put the object in my bag and run out of the room to join the others.

Aerrow's POV

Terra Neon's where I chose to come for my birthday. Why, you ask? For starters, being the energetic person that I am, I won't be able to stay still, and Neon can take care of that with all of it's side-show attractions and rides.

The second reason, and by far the most dictating reason for my choice, is that Piper and I can get in some real alone time. All of this will keep everyone so entertained that they might not notice the birthday boy slip out of the spotlight for a moment, right?

My thoughts stop for a minute when Piper comes in. I smile at her. She smiles right back, her orange eyes bright with excitement. I'm so glad that her eyes are back to normal. The reddish-purple color didn't suit her like orange does.

"Happy birthday, Aerrow!" She says as she tackles me for a hug and gives me a birthday kiss. "Where'd everybody else go?" She asks as she looks around for everyone else.

I squeeze her tight. "You know Finn, he never wants to wait." I told her. "I told them that I'd wait for you."

"As usual?"

"As usual. C'mon," I say, leading her by the hand, "we've gotta catch up with them before they come back and mob us."

She laughs as we step off of the ship. Terra Neon actually _was_ a good choice. Not only because Piper and I can get away from the guys (I mean, I love them like brothers, but they really _are_ like brothers- Finn pokes fun at me and Piper, Junko goes "awww" every few minutes, Stork suggests a bunch of repellants for when we go on our honeymoon, and Radaar… well, he's _very_ excited that we're together, and I mean that), but we can actually have some real fun here.

There's something everyone wants to try wherever you look. I can see a very, _very_ tall roller coaster that I'm dying to try to my right. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Piper eyeing a nearby booth.

Maybe I could win her a prize? I don't care if it's my birthday and it's supposed to be my day, the Storm Hawks are known for not following the rules.

"Come on already!!" Finn shouts from the crowd, earning him a few stares and making him easy to pick out.

Piper gives me a "what are we going to do with him" look. I laugh and walk towards or group.

"Jeez, you guys take _forever_!" Finn tells us.

"Well, we're here now," I tell him, "so where to first?"

"I say scatter and regroup later," Finn says.

"I think Aerrow should choose," Junko says kindly, "It _is_ his birthday after all."

"Thanks Junko. And actually, Finn's idea isn't a bad one."

"Really?" Stork said, eyeing Finn, "It's just the perfect plan for our enemies to pick us off one by one." He gasped. "Or even worse, we could be overrun by _mind worms_."

"What _is_ it with you and mind worms?" Finn asks Stork. Before Stork can answer, he says, "Ok, you heard the b-day boy, scatter! Let's meet back by the Ferris Wheel in a couple of hours. Let's go!"

Finn and Junko high-tail it towards a clutter of booths. Stork rolls his eyes and heads back in the direction of the Condor. "They never heed my warnings," he mutters, "one day… one day they'll regret it."

I turn to Radaar. "Hey buddy," I tell him, "could you do me a favor and make sure Stork has some fun while we're here?"

Radaar gives me a small salute before he takes off after Stork.

Suddenly, I start laughing. When Piper looks at me like I'm crazy, I say "Wow, I didn't think it'd take so little effort to get some alone time."

Piper giggles. "Well, that's Finn for you. Sometimes he can be a bit of a pain, but he has his moments."

I smile at her. "Ok, where do you wanna go first?"

"It's your birthday, I'm supposed to go where you want to go." She smiles.

"Yeah," I say, "but as the birthday boy, I want _you_ to choose."

"Touché," she says. "Ok, how about a roller coaster?"

Just what I had in mind. Well, one thing, anyway. "Which one?" I ask. There are a lot -and I mean _a lot_- of roller coasters on Terra Neon. Corkscrews, flying coasters, bobsled coasters, even suspended coasters. It's almost impossible to choose. But I'm letting Piper choose.

She looks around at all of the roller coasters in view. "How about that one?" She's pointing to a flying coaster that's called "Wind Swept," promptly named because of all of it's loops and turns.

"Sure, I'm up for it. Let's go!" I say.

We race each other to the end of the line, which is long- _very _long. I already know it's going to be a pretty long wait, and as much as I hate waiting, I'll do it.

***

Time passes slowly. I see Piper check her watch. "How much time until we all meet back at the Ferris Wheel?" I can't help but ask.

She sighs. "About an hour."

An hour's gone by?! _Already_? I look around the people ahead of us to see how far we are from riding. That's when I see the sign. I groan.

"What's wrong?" Piper asks.

I point ahead at the sign. She looks to where I'm pointing and groans. "'A sixty minute wait from this point.' We're not even at that point yet!" She sighs. "Maybe we should try another ride…"

"Sounds like a plan to me." I lead her away from the line and look back. People are already moving up to fill our spots in the line, making the part of the line that was behind us shift.

Piper's POV

Although Finn may find it hard to believe, I love Terra Neon, and I'm glad Aerrow picked it for his birthday. So many rides, booths, side shows… a few- no, a lot of rides and things for couples. Even though it's loud because of all the people, it's a really nice place. It's even better since I'm spending the next hour with Aerrow.

"Ok, you choose this time," I tell him.

"Alright." He says. He looks around. I catch him looking at another nearby coaster, but when he sees the too-long line, he immediately starts looking for something else. "Wanna try a booth?" He asks, pointing in the direction that Finn ad Junko headed in over an hour ago.

"Sure," I say as he leads me towards the booths.

There are tons of them. There are some "knock over the bottles to get a prize" booths, "shoot 'em all" booths (I can see one of the booth managers trying to quickly refill the counter with toys. I think Finn's been here already…), and some squirting game booths. Along with the booths are a few food stands and side show games, such as the "test your strength" one (I see that the bell at the top is missing- yes, _missing_- from that game. Yep, they've _definitely _been through here.).

I stop by a booth when something catches my eye. Hanging from the ceiling is… _an Aerrow doll._ A tiny, chibi version of Aerrow. Whether you have to sign off on a contract for someone to make a doll of you or something, I'm not sure. But out of the blue, I just start giggling, only to stop after Aerrow looks back at me to see what I'm laughing at.

Pretending that I don't notice his glance, I settle in front of the booth, slapping down some change for the game onto the counter. It's a knock-over-the-bottles-with-a-ball game. "Three please," I tell the booth manager, since to win that prize I have to knock out three stacks of bottles in a row to win it. He scoops my money off of the counter and lays out three balls for me.

"What do you wanna win?" Aerrow asks, eyeing the prizes above us as I wind up to throw it.

I let the ball go and it sails through the air directly into it's target. One stack down, two to go. "It's a secret," I tell him, getting ready to take my second shot. I let the ball slip through my fingers straight into my target. Two for two. One more…

I eye the third and final stack of bottles while rotating my last ball in my hand. I have to aim carefully with this one- it all comes down to this. I hold the ball behind me, winding up to throw it. The noise around me seems to go silent. It's only me, the ball, and the stack of bottles.

Finally, I let the ball go. It speeds towards the target, but in slow motion for me. It's almost there. Almost…

It pushes right through the stack, making them all fall to the ground in defeat. "Yeah! Way to go Piper!" Aerrow says.

"So what'll it be?" asks the booth manager. His hand motions to the prizes around him.

"That one," I say, pointing to the chibi Aerrow doll.

When Aerrow sees him hand me the prize I want, his eyes widen. I laugh and hug the plushy little doll to my chest. I hold it up for him to see. "Looks like you've got a little admirer," I tell him.

"Who?" He says, grinning, "You or the doll?" I nudge him playfully with my elbow as we walk away from the booth.

***

The Ferris Wheel towers over us as we look around for the guys. We can't find them. I glance at a clock on a nearby building. The two hours are up- they should be here by now…

"Hey," Aerrow says, breaking into my thoughts, "wanna ride on the Ferris Wheel while we wait?"

I glance over at the line for the ride. It's not long. In fact, it's actually short. _Short._ A short line on Terra Neon… Weird… "Sure," I smile at him. We walk hand in hand to the end of the short line and wait our turn.

***

Still holding my hand, Aerrow let's me get into our seat first. He thanks the wheel operator as he climbs in. He looks back as the man closes our door. "Y'all have a nice ride," he says to us. And I could've sworn that he winked at Aerrow. Aerrow might've winked back, but he was facing the man so that I couldn't see his face.

Finally, Ferris Wheel began to move. With my new plushie in my bag, I gaze out at the activity that is going on below us as we ascend in our seat.

"It's so nice up here," I try to say nonchalantly.

"Yeah, it is," Aerrow says quietly.

A few minutes pass and the Ferris Wheel slows to a stop, with us at the highest point. And that's when it hits me. I go in my bag to get out my present for him.

"Aerrow," I begin.

"Hm?" He looks at me quizzically.

"Could you close your eyes for a second?"

"Why?"

"Trust me- just close them."

He closes his eyes obediently. "Ok, what is it?" he asks, his face slightly twisted in confusion (so cute…).

"Hold out your hands." He holds them out for me and I place my present in his open hands. "Alright," I say, smiling, "open them."

Aerrow opens his eyes to look at what he's holding. "Wow," he says, checking out his present. The crystal that I found on Tropica glows the brightest I've seen it, even with all of the lights of Neon trying to dim its pink glow. But… it's changed its shape _again_. It's now in the shape of, not one, but _two_ hearts, side-by-side and connected to each other.

Suddenly, before anyone can say anything, it begins to change before our eyes. It glows brightly, almost bright enough to blind me, but I continue to see it change. The crystal looks like it's melting together into another shape. It happens so quickly that when I blink from the light it's done reforming.

After blinking away the dots in front of my eyes from the sudden brightness, I stare at the crystal that is still in Aerrow's hand. It is, once again, one whole heart. Except it looks more refined this time than it did back on Tropica.

"Wow," Aerrow says again. "Where'd you find it?"

"Back on Tropica," I told him.

"I love it." He kissed me, his soft lips thanking me, just before the ride began to turn again (in the back of my mind, I think about the supposed wink that Aerrow and the wheel operator exchanged. I'm sure that Aerrow had something to do with the ride stopping at _that_ particular point in the ride.).

"HEY! LOVEBIRDS!" I know that voice anywhere. I reluctantly break off the kiss to look down below. Finn is down there with the others, waiting for us. He's standing near a birthday cake with the candles already lit. "C'MON! THERE'S GONNA BE MELTED WAX ALL OVER THE CAKE BY THE TIME YOU GET DOWN HERE!"

"WE CAN'T RUSH THE RIDE FINN!" I yell back at him. Then I start laughing. Aerrow laughs with me too. We laugh ourselves until the ride ends.

***

After the birthday song is done, it's time for him to blow out the candles. "Make a wish Aerrow," I say.

He looks at the semi-melted candles and then looks around at all of us, letting his eyes rest on me. "But what more could I wish for?" he asks, "I've got all I need right here."

"Some anti-rash lotion would be nice…" Stork mutters, making everyone- except for him (he was serious) laugh.

As Aerrow blows out his candles, I think about all that's happened within the last month. A few weeks ago, this wouldn't have happened if he had left me with Cyclonis like I told him too. I had said that I hated him. But we declared our love for each other the very same day. I hope it stays this way forever.

When all of his candles are blown out, the whole team cheers. "Dog pile on the birthday boy!" Finn calls out. He, Junko, and Radaar jump on him, causing him to collapse under their weight.

While Stork rolls his eyes, I laugh and think- that's mi amor, Aerrow.

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A/N: Yayz!!! And that's a wrap! Phew! Took me a while to get this chapter down- it took up four and a half pages in my word document! Lol… look out for more Storm Hawks stories- I love this couple so much I may be writing up another story for them soon enough! A sequel, perhaps? We'll see… =)

Also, thanks to my faithful reviewers- I appreciate the motivation y'all gave me to continue with this story! You guys are awesome!


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